Snow or Rain
by IceAndWhite
Summary: Life was good for Rukia. She was finally going to receive that well-deserved promotion. But why did Hitsugaya Toshiro suddenly interfere and transfer her to his division? And how did he suddenly become her step-brother? HitsuRuki
1. 001

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach and will never. :(

**Long Summary/Spoiler:**

_"Why did you accept my brother's offer to join the Kuchiki clan? You know what happens if you do. Why?" she asks. _

_"Because," he answers. _

_"To be my brother? Are you only that to me?" She demands. _

_"You know how I feel," he says. _

_"It doesn't work for me." Her words linger. _

**Pairings: **HitsuRuki & IchiRuki

**AN**: I was planning to work on my other HitsuRuki fic, and I finished a good chunk of a chapter…but alas, I got another idea -_-. Please R&R!

* * *

**Snow or Rain  
**

0.1

Chapter One

You, who made it snow.

Is there a way to turn back the clock?

Would your decision change from now?

Would I be able to face it?

Am I a coward?

I know not…

0.1

* * *

It started with the abnormal snow in Soul Society.

She wondered at first, whether she was imagining the white puffs falling from the sky. But as a snowflake fell to the bridge of her nose, she realized it was truly cold, and that chill, instead of warmth, had spread all across her body. With her sleeve, she wiped away the water that had formed on her nose. When she looked at her sleeve, she spotted the wet dampness.

The freezing feeling continued to spread across her body; it was relaxing in a way; she supposed it was because she owned an ice zanpakutou. She shook herself out of her thoughts, gaping at the scene that was unfolding before her violent eyes.

They had long said that snow was impossible in Soul Society. It was simply not suppose to happen. But why then, could she feel the chill of the storm against her body or the smell of frost that refused to disappear? Her neck remained bare against the coldness. She hadn't thought to bring a scarf with her and she doubted that anyone else would have either. She held out her hand at that point, in order to catch the following snow. Perhaps, she thought, if she didn't seize any, she could be convinced that this was a mere dream.

Yet, the flakes of ice continued to fall from the sky, despite the fact that today was to be a raging hot summer day.

Kuchiki Rukia rubbed her hands, the tips of her fingers slightly numb from the ongoing cold. It certainly didn't seem to be brief. As a valiant attempt to warm herself, she breathed into her hands, a white wisp of smoke trailing from her mouth. Her body shivered; her teeth clattered. Confusion clouded her violent eyes; what could possibly have the ability to change the weather?

The snow began to pile on the pavement of Soul Society, but mostly, it seemed to stay near the Kuchiki household. She had severe doubts that it was only snowing near her house; even she was not sick-minded enough to bring upon snow in such a nice summer day. Then she chuckled, forcefully. Perhaps the rumors about her brother's coldness held some validity. Perhaps he was truly "cold" enough to influence the weather.

She shook her head, waving the thoughts away from her mind. It made no sense that the weather would listen to Kuchiki Byakuya just because he was having an off-day.

It made absolutely no sense.

Her sandals walked over the snow, her body taking care to avoid steeping into the fluffy too quickly. While it was true that she was an ice wielder, the normal love for ice did not apply for Kuchiki. She was liked the snow, but was not in love with it. There was simply point when the ice would grow too cold, and it reminded her of the rain.

She hated the rain.

Rukia winced at the frosty texture of the snow as it made contact with her exposed toes. There was no doubt in her mind that they would soon be numb and she would be forced to walk awkwardly. After many painful steps, she managed to walk pass the gates of the household and into the thirteen courts, to only find that there was no ice there.

In fact, it was quite dry.

She went agape, bringing her jaw down before gaining back her composure. What would her brother say if he saw her like that? Her neck twisted back so she could look back her to her house. She sighed; at least she managed to get out before it started snowing too badly. She frowned. Why had it only snowed at her house? Perhaps, it had been her fault after all. She looked down to her belt, where her weapon was attached. Nothing. Her zanpakutou remained in its ordinary form, idle and sleeping.

Frustrated, she took her weapon out of its sheath, examining with extra care. She moved the katana towards her face, examining the metal like a jeweler would to an extravagant jewel.

"Are you expecting arms to grow out of your sword?" It was a short response to her odd tactics.

The sound of the stranger caused Rukia's to flutter. Clumsily, her hands moved and the blade slipped. She closed her eyes and awaited the horrible sound of her sword falling to the ground. Seconds passed, and the sound of metal against cement did not occur.

"Take care of your zanpakutou, Kuchiki. You only have one."

She opened her eyes and turned, now fully aware that there was someone behind her. Her eyes caught sight of hair that matched the color of snow. She lowered her eyes and saw the teal eyes staring directly in her violent ones. Hitsugaya Toshiro. Had it been him who had caused it to snow near her house?

He had her blade, holding it by the hilt. He extended his arm. "Here, take it back."

As if free from her trance, she quickly bowed then stood back up to receive her blade. "Sorry, Hitsugaya-taichou. I was—

"It doesn't matter. Just pay attention next time." His words remained curt and distant. It didn't take long for him to turn his back on her as he began to walk towards the Kuchiki household, never caring to notice the beautiful snow that had formed. He stepped on the pile of snow as if it was never there; he never failed to walk at his own specific beat. Rukia continued to stare, wondering what on earth would the captain visit her brother for.

A few possible scenarios passed through her brain.

It was very possible that her brother and Hitsugaya-taichou were very close friends and that they were going to talk about the old times.

She shook her head. What old times?

There was also a chance that they were on captain…business?

She frowned at that as well. If there was indeed business concerning the captains, wouldn't it make more sense to discuss it during the captain meetings? Her brother was not known for hospitality; many knew that he would rather not allow any visitors into his household. Even own his vice-captain had been advised by Byakuya himself to not to bother him unless it was absolutely necessary.

Another howl of the wind sent her dashing away from her home, convinced that whatever reason it was, it probably was not that important. What was more important was that her captain was supposedly passing a message to her today. There were rumors of her promotion that her brother finally allowed her to advance to the next rank.

And so, there was nothing that could possibly spoil her mood toady.

* * *

"Are you ready for your transfer, Kuchiki?"

She wasn't sure she understood her captain's words.

"Excuse me sir…transfer?" she repeated those words, wondering when her captain would spring up and laugh at her for believing his joke. Else, the snow must have damaged her brain or ears…because there was no way her captain would transfer her to another division.

"Yes, Kuchiki," Ukitake's face showed no sign of a smile. "It appears that your brother has requested you to transfer into another division."

Her voice was caught in her throat. There was nothing that Rukia could think of to answer that. This division meant the world to her. It was another part of her family. Was this her brother's idea of a sick joke? She surely hoped it was, because none of her wanted to leave this place, ever.

"Why?" As if someone else had asked this question in her place, she felt the voice to be strange and foreign, as if it didn't belong to her. She felt that she wouldn't have been able to ask this question, not with the mental state she was in. Yet, it was her own lips opening, her own mouth asking that one simple word. The world spun around her and it was all she could do to stop from falling by holding her stance.

"Kuchiki-taichou wanted someone that could personally teach you about the element of your zanpakuto," said Ukitake. He sighed, "I personally did not agree with it, but since he is your brother…"

Then it all made sense, despite the fact that her thoughts were incoherent; the answer formed clearly in her mind. That was why Hitsugaya-taichou visited her brother so early in the morning. It didn't explain the snow, but it explained which division she would be transferred to.

She didn't like it.

She felt a burning hatred for both of them, her brother and Hitsugaya. It was their fault; they forced her to move away from her division. But she also knew that the hatred was only temporary, that she would never hate her brother for what he did, not after learning of his past. Hitsugaya, however, was a different story. He could have refused; the two of them barely talked in the past. What made him agree to this stupid deal?

"Which division am I transferring to?" she asked. It was a stupid question, but it was an act of manner and she figured that Ukitake would be expecting her it.

"Division 10. Hitsugaya-taichou will be your new captain for now."

Rukia nodded. For once, she was glad that the two third-seats were nowhere to be found. This message was meant for her alone and she would have hated it if she wasn't able to tell her friends herself that she was leaving this division, not on her own will, but her brother's.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and stiffened.

"Don't worry about it Kuchiki. We won't blame you and you shouldn't blame yourself, or your brother. He and our division only want the best for you."

She nodded numbly, not trusting herself to speak just yet. Her heart knew truthfully what was the best for her and this option certainly wasn't the best. But, that same heart knew that it would be impolite and impossible for her to refuse her brother's offer.

She bit her bottom lip, glancing back to her captain. She spoke with a soft voice, as if she was that weak little girl again, the one that had arrived at this division her very first day. "When will I be…?" She found she couldn't end the sentence.

"Soon. Your brother and Hitsugaya-taichou should be discussing this issue now. I won't be surprised if you moved…the next day." Then her captain smiled, "Don't worry, Kuchiki. You can always visit us. You'll always be welcome in this division."

"…Thanks!" Rukia bowed deeply, holding her hands together. Her hair covered her face, and it was only that she stood up straight that she could see clearly again.

Her captain laughed, nodding. He understood.

So she didn't want to leave, but was going to anyways.

Perhaps this wasn't such a nice day after all.

So much for the promotion.

* * *

All the goodbyes had been said.

Rukia slowly dragged her feet along the ground. She didn't want to go home that quickly.

Instead, she walked around the streets at Gotei 13. They weren't as lively or large as the ones at Rukongai, but at least, she could think here. The air here was not as suffocating as it had been inside her division, with its fake laughter and smiles.

Climbing to a nearby river bank, she sat down, folding the bottom of her uniform. It was the same place that Kaien and her division had hung out many years before. She placed her hands under her legs and her head on her hands, staring out into the river. Her thoughts wandered away from the fact that she was to be moved soon and slowly, she found herself.

"Kuchiki."

Her eyes widened and she turned to the source of sound, nearly twisting her neck. She caught a view of white hair and immediately tensed.

"Hitsugaya-taichou." She bowed, in acknowledgment to his higher rank in authority. He was sitting as well, which made it harder. She doubted he would be able to notice.

Her face faced the ground, so he couldn't have seen her emotions. But finally, the curiosity could be contained no longer. She tilted her head, so that she could see part of the captain's face. He wasn't looking at her. Instead, his eyes were clouded as he stared out into the river. Then he turned, and stared straight into her eyes. The gaze was so powerful that Rukia could not look away.

"Hitsugaya-taichou…" Her voice lingered in the air, prompting the ice captain to speak.

He continued his stare as if she had never once said a word. Rukia felt her body stiffen. She tried her best to not to blink away from his gaze, not wanting to look weak.

"What is your answer?"

He had asked that, but she had no idea what he was saying.

"Excuse me? I'm sorry, but I must have missed the previous question. Could you repeat it again?"

Again, she was surprised at how normal and calm her voice sounded. Hadn't she expressed her anger at this same person hours ago?

"Are you satisfied with joining my division?"

She blinked, uncertain as to how Hitsugaya wanted her to answer this question. It wasn't as if she had a choice in deciding whether she would join or not. Did it matter, her opinion?

"Truthfully, no, sir. I-It's not that Division Ten is bad, but I am fine with my current division," she said it softly, shuffling her legs beneath her. The river gurgled loudly behind them.

"I see." He said nothing more. He stood up, as to leave; but he didn't. He continued to stand idly.

"Excuse me, sir…" Rukia got up from her spot, dusting her robes slightly. She waited for him to respond, but when it became clear that he comment further, she spoke up again, "Was there any particularly reason why you decided that I was to be in your division?"

"No." The answer came swift and without hesitation. In an odd way, Rukia felt she had been blasted by a wave of cold ice.

He turned to her to face her, a towering figure that she would have expected to be able to stand so tall. She didn't like it. It was as if he had won once again, even in the simplest of things.

Then almost, in a tired voice, he lifted the corners of his lips, "Try not to worry too much."

"I'm certainly not worried," she retorted in a voice she used for Ichigo or Renji. The accusation had come unexpectedly, and so she responded too naturally to a near stranger. "A-Ah, I'm sorry for that outburst."

She blinked.

He was gone already.

Rukia saw him again the next morning, but that was when she found out that Hitsugaya was officially joining the Kuchiki family. As her step-brother.


	2. 002

Disclaimer: Read the one written in chapter one.

AN: Thanks for the reviews! I wasn't sure if anyone would read this weird old plot of mines. :)

* * *

.002

_There was no more snow._

Had everything been merely a dream, something that her wicked mind had conjured up? Rukia rose from her slumber, pulling back the thick woolly blankets. The air felt cool to her skin, but not to the point of yesterday, where everything had been pure frost. And very slowly, the dull pain in her chest returned as she remembered. Images flickered in her mind, disappearing as fast as they had appeared. She remembered vaguely her captain telling her she was to go away and join another division, one that she knew little to nothing about, even after all these years in Soul Society.

"Kuchiki-san, your brother requests your presence." Rukia noticed the voice of the servant immediately.

"Thank you. I will meet him shortly," she replied. When she heard the footsteps disappear, it was then she was able to heave a sigh of relief and drop back to her blankets. She wrapped her blanket around her face and groaned. Facing her brother so early in the morning was something that was definitely not needed right now. Her face twisted at the thought. Getting her to meet her brother now was similar to trying to get Ichigo to wear a dress and prance around in it. Both were forced, but one main difference remained. Ichigo would, of course, to the best of his ability manage to escape his tragic fate. She certainly wouldn't be able to.

Cursing softly at her situation, she dressed in her shinigami outfit, brushing out the folds and creases that had settled in after she had carelessly neglected to properly put in away last night. She had been tired and worn out; the last thing on her mind would be to fold her outfit.

Rukia arrived near the main room of the Kuchiki household soon enough, still fidgeting with her outfit. She brushed near her shoulder. There seemed to have been a speck of dirt such to it. Then she stopped with a frown on her lips. What did it matter if her outfit was dirty or not? It was herself who wore it, not her brother. She raised her hand away from shoulders and let it sag to her side while she waltzed in as subtly as she could. There was something that still raised fear in heart at the thought of disobeying her brother.

"Rukia, you are late."

She twitched her mouth. She could understand why Ichigo called her brother "uptight."

"I—

Her voice caught in her throat when she caught sight of snow colored hair. She blinked, twice, in an attempt to dispel any illusion. But, when she was done with her antics, Hitsugaya Toshiro was still sitting next to her brother, sipping a cup of tea.

"Y-You—" she stopped, noticing a glare come from her brother. "Captain Hitsugaya." Her voice sounded resigned.

"Good morning, Kuchiki," he said. The tone surprised Rukia a bit, sending her heart to unexpectedly flutter. It sounded upbeat, compared to the melancholy she had seen with him yesterday. She nodded weakly, taking a seat across her brother, which was also next to Hitsugaya.

"W-what did brother call me for?" she inquired softly, her usual vigor gone. She had still not given up her plans to one day to be able to talk to Byakuya freely, but it would take both time and a lot of effort.

From her side, she felt Hitsugaya adjust his position. For a second, it felt as if he was going to turn and face her, but he didn't. Instead, he stayed facing the wall. It took her a moment to realize that he was avoiding her eyes.

"I want to make an announcement today," said Byakuya, drinking from his own cup of hot tea.

Rukia remained quiet, as proper etiquette had taught her that. She turned to look towards the other captain. Questions raced through her mind. Why was he here? It seemed to be a private announcement.

Byukuya placed his cup on the wooden table. "From now on, Hitsugaya Toshiro will be joining the Kuchiki family."

It would have been an understatement if Rukia claimed that she was only surprised. There was a mixture of feelings twisting through her chest. For one, though she couldn't remember from the shock, she had a feeling that her eyes had grown wide and there was a huge possibility that she had been gaping as well.

"W-What?" she tried to steady her voice, but found that it could not stop shaking.

"Don't make me repeat myself." Her brother's voice remained calm as the Sakura blossoms, never failing to lose a beat in rhythm. "He is to become your step-brother. He will keep his family name for now, but in time, he will become a Kuchiki as well."

Rukia felt her heart twist in a strange manner that had never happened before, at least, not recently, not after she met Ichigo and the rest of the gang. "I-I see." She turned towards Hitsugaya, who was still looking away from her. He seemed to be concentrating on one of the paintings in the room. "Good morning, b-brother." The words sounded foreign on her tongue, and she wasn't sure it was because it was because she hadn't known Hitsugaya on a personal level or if it was because she genuinely protested against the idea of having another individual she would have to call brother.

It was so confusing.

To her annoyance, and perhaps relief, Hitsugaya didn't respond to her greeting. Instead he had turned towards Byakuya, "Then, I shall leave." Only then did he look at Rukia, glancing with sharp teal eyes as he got up from the ground. She felt her body grow tense, as if a wave of ice had blasted towards her face and she was slowly freezing to death. "I shall see you today." His voice was so quiet that Rukia had to strain her ears to hear his exact words.

She nodded, stammering her next words, "Y-Yes."

He walked past her, without a backward glance at the frightened look on her face. She walked past the same trail he walked soon afterwards; there was no way out of her dilemma. Greeting goodbye to her brother, she grabbed for her sword, finding some comfort in holding something familiar. It was one of the little things that hadn't change.

She stared back towards her house. The snow hadn't come back, but in her heart, she felt the ongoing blizzard.

* * *

Kuchiki Rukia bowed once more. She would not release herself from her stance until ordered so, as the laws stated.

"You don't have to bow, Kuchiki."

Rukia swallowed, took a deep breath, and lifted her head to meet her new captain's eyes. She noticed the way his eyes looked unfocused and the fact that he was not really staring directly at her, not really. It seemed to her that he was still focusing on the wall behind her.

There was something about the stance his body took; it looked relaxed, but there was enough reason for Rukia to believe it was tenser than that.

"Your orders, sir?" she asked, trying to create the strength in her voice that she had used numerous times in front of her friends. There was no doubt in her mind; she wanted to go back to her own life and keep away from Hitsugaya Toshiro. And so let it be, that Kuchiki Rukia would not back down.

"Hm. Orders…" His voice was almost as unfocused as his eyes, "Yes. Orders." He seemed to have steadied himself, now staring straight into her eyes. Rukia shifted the weight from left foot to the right. "Kuchiki, what do you know about your zanpakutou?"

That caught Rukia off-guard. "What?" Her voice staggered, quickly losing the strength she was so confident would stay. Nevertheless, she could feel that Hitsugaya remained quiet for a reason; he was waiting for her to explain herself. "I know shikai pretty well."

"Is that all?" his voice was cold and curt. He looked as if he was partially irritated.

"Pardon?" she asked.

He closed his eyes and using his fingers, rubbed his forehead, "Bankai, did you start to obtain that?"

"Well, that is, no."

He let out a sigh and closed his eyes once again, leaning back on his chair and only opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. "That is fine then. You are dismissed for today."

Rukia was frustrated at the last sentence. Even if she carried no rank, it was impolite to dismiss her so easily from work, especially since she had barely arrived. "But, Captain—

"Dismissed Kuchiki. Are you deaf?"

She stared at him with disdain, hoping dearly in her mind that he would somehow transform into a bug so she could squish his guts out before turning on her heels. Let it be, her mind told her. It was better; she could visit her own division. It wasn't her fault that she didn't do any work. None was assigned to her. But as she was about to leave, a figure appeared in the doorway of Hitsugaya's office, blocking her from her escape.

"Cccccccaaaaaptain!"

Rukia was greeted with a tight enough hug to suffocate her ten times over. She tried to free herself from the newcomer's hold, but found all her attempts thwarted.

"Hmm? You're not the captain, Rukia-chan!"

"Y-yeah," she coughed off, looking up to find Matsumoto and her rather large assets in her face. When she was released from the hold, she found herself breathing heavily for air.

"What are you doing here, Rukia-chan?" asked Matsumoto, loud as ever.

"She's here as a new member to our division." Hitsugaya answered for her, to her relief.

Matsumoto, at Hitsugaya's response, quickly moved away from Rukia and towards the captain's desk, slamming down on the table with both her hands. "Really?! But, why?"

When Hitsugaya did not respond in a certain amount of time, Matsumoto spoke again, "Could it be…that you have a crush on her?!"

"No. It was a request."

"From who?" pressed Matsumoto. Rukia's ears perked up at this. Even she was wondering to the true reason that her brother had for transferring her to the new division, along with adopting someone else to the clan. Adoptions were mighty troublesome; she knew, having gone through it.

"It's confidential," said Hitsugaya. He looked to Rukia, "Why are you still here?"

Rukia nodded, a scornful look remained in her eyes. But, as try as she might, when she headed towards the exit, she was once blocked again by the vice-captain.

"That's no way to treat a girl like Rukia-chan!"

"Matsumoto…"

"Ah! I know what. I'll take a day off today from paperwork. Help me finish my work, Rukia!" With that, Matsumoto dashed off, leaving a rather angry Hitsugaya and confused Rukia.

"Well, what are you standing there for?" asked Hitsugaya, "Get out."

"But, didn't Matsum—

"Never mind what she said. Just come back…tomorrow," he said. As she was by the doorway, he spoke again, this time much softer, "Sorry for putting you this."

His tone softened her angry heart, but she wasn't sure how to respond.

* * *

The rest of the day was riddled with adventures, partly with her old division. But she didn't take enjoyment in them as she would normally would and parted early with them, promising that she would visit soon enough.

She walked down the stream again, the one she had sat with Hitsugaya yesterday. His words left an impression in her heart. Who in their right mind would try to join her family? Byakuya, her cold brother, was nice compared to the other clan members. She laughed bitterly, fingering a fallen blossom. She turned her direction so that she was facing where she felt Division 10 ought to be. It grew apparent to her that she wanted answers, and no matter how many years she had stayed in the Kuchiki household, she was still herself, a bratty demanding girl who grew up in the streets and hated mannerisms and such.

Yes. She allowed the flower to fall to the ground. She would go see him, and see what was up after all. She ran quickly across Soul Society, never stopping in the process. When she reached her new captain's office again, she felt short of her breath, still panting from her short run. She was about to knock, when she heard his voice.

"Come in."

She twisted the doorknob and entered. Once in there, she noticed that everything in the room was in the same place it had been in the morning.

"What do you want, Kuchiki?"

She gulped, "Why did you join the Kuchiki clan?"

"Nothing that concerns you," he said, never looking up from his paperwork.

"I am part of that clan," she said, as to rebuttal his claim, "What purpose do you have?"

"It's Hitsugaya-taichou, Kuchiki. Remember that, if you wish to remain here."

"Fine, Hitsugaya-taichou," the name was forced through her mouth, "You—I mean, Hitsugaya-taichou, you did not answer my question. For what purpose did you have to join the Kuchiki family?"

Suddenly, he was right in front her, mere inches away. Rukia felt her heart beat stronger, still disliking the captain's tall height. She could feel his breath on her face. At that thought, she tried to step back, only to be stopped by the arm wrapped around her waist.

"Why do you insist upon an answer, Kuchiki?" She could sense the annoyance in his voice, even as he tightened his hold around her waist. Nevertheless, she would and did not relent. When it came down to it, both of them hailed from Rukongai. Equals in that sense.

"Because as I stated before it concerns me," she replied with the strongest voice she could muster at the moment, which wasn't much, concerning the nervous state she was it. And she cursed herself for being the stubborn self she was. She probably sounded like a broken record that wouldn't stop repeating the same phrase.

He released his hold on her, to her relief, and stepped back. He flattened the folds that had formed around his sleeves before renewing his stare towards her, "Come with me, Kuchiki."

There was no room for another choice, not with the resolute voice he had spoken with. Not bothering to wait for her, he ran off. Taking yet another deep breath, Rukia followed, running off into the distant, awaiting her wanted answer.


	3. 003

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach and will never. :(

**Pairings: **HitsuRuki & IchiRuki

**AN: **Hurrah for fast updates. I'm usually not a fast updater, but I seem to be able to whip out these chapters quickly. Enjoy, everybody! =)

* * *

003.

She once wondered if he was made of ice. And seeing his back, she couldn't help but confirm that theory as a fact. He was relentless in his step and there was something in her mind that told her if she slowed down, he would not stop for her. But to her surprise, he turned around to look at her. When he noticed the wide gap between the two of them, he slowed down considerably and Rukia was allowed to catch up.

The path was familiar to Rukia, but with Hitsugaya by her side, it felt too foreign, too strange. The idea that a single person could transfer her perspective of a place seemed preposterous to Rukia, but she couldn't help agreeing with her thoughts. There was something about the ice captain that set him apart from anybody she'd ever met, except her brother. They were similar.

She fought back a grimace, remembering that Hitsugaya was about to be her brother soon enough.

Then he stopped, completely interrupting her train of thought. He stopped at a grassy area, void the cement.

"We're here."

Rukia could only nod. His next action caused even more confusion for her. Hitsugaya had bent down to the grass and when he reached out to touch the greenery, it froze completely. She raised her eyebrow. Was he intending to show off his skills? Why, it was unneeded. Practically everyone in Soul Society knew of his skills, and how his ice zanpakutou, and not hers, was the strongest.

His eyes seemed to fade out for a moment, before his gaze was back to her, "That wasn't intentional."

"What?" her frown deepened.

He flipped over his hands, revealing his palms. His skin contained a blue tint that spread all across his arms. "That." He pointed to the frozen grass that sparkled brightly in the sunlight. But that was the only it did. The ice wouldn't thaw.

She breathed, "And? Hitsugaya-taichou, what exactly are you trying to get at?" Then to her annoyance once more, he was in close to her, and grabbing her hands with his own.

"Look, my hands are cold." To prove his point, he squeezed her arms and to her surprise, when he did so, it felt like she was hugging an ice block. She stepped back and fortunately, he released his grasp.

"What is this?" she asked, not sure if she had the right to ask such a personal question.

He looked at his hands, before tucking them away under his sleeves, "A sickness I seemed to have acquired. I'm dying from this, Kuchiki."

She bit her lower lip. He chose his words quite vaguely, but that was enough to get her to feel sorry for him. "That still doesn't explain why you would try and join the Kuchiki clan."

He groaned in annoyance now, scratching his hair, "Kuchiki! I was told that you were a bright person."

"You expect me to randomly guess, Hitsugaya-taichou?" Contempt had seeped into her voice now, whether it was intentional or not.

The strength appeared to have been sapped away from Hitsugaya; he slumped to the ground and tucked is head in his lap. For a moment, Rukia wanted to reach out to the captain, to say that she had not meant what she said. But before that, he had lifted his head up, and his eyes were as strong as ever. "You should know, that the Kuchiki clan has been in Soul Society for as long as anyone can imagine." She nodded. "During their years in Soul Society, they have accumulated a mass amount of knowledge in the form of books. You are aware that the Kuchiki clan has a library, correct?"

She nodded at this. She had heard about it from her brother once or twice. It was supposedly a massive place, where only the clan's members could even think about entering. Any intruder was to be exterminated, for fear of giving away the clan's secrets.

"Perhaps," he said, while still gazing into her violet eyes, "There could be something in there to rid me of this. I expect someone else to have encountered this before. They must."

She nodded again, not knowing what to say. It had already unnerved her that the captain was being so open to her. Despite having asked him, she had never expected Hitsugaya to actually tell her the truth. "And about my transfer?" Her heart quickened.

"What of it, Kuchiki?" He sounded so tired.

"Why?"

"You would get a better answer from your brother. It was a requirement, if I were to join the clan."

"I see," said Rukia, staring down at her own fingers, which still remembered the coldness of Hitsuagaya's hands. "And, I understand, sir." Knowing the truth had made some of her anger disperse.

"Forgive me, Kuchiki. I'll try my best to continue letting you work with your division." He started to walk away, but Rukia stopped him.

"Since you've accepted me in your division, I am willing to take whatever work is necessary," she said, voice strong and unwavering.

"Is that the strength of the particularly stubborn girl I've been told about?" There was a light smile on her, which was a miracle, considering Rukia had never seen the captain with such a face. "Come report next morning, Kuchiki. If you're late, I'll be unhappy." He left her to her thoughts, using shunpo.

It took her a moment to realize that he had been using a light-hearted tone with her and another moment to realize that she had a task.

* * *

Rukia knocked on the door to his office softly, biting her lips at the idea of going this early. She had not been able to sleep, not after the recent events and had decided to come early. Now that she had arrived, the idea did not seem clever anymore.

"Come in."

She opened the door, just to peek, before pushing to it opening and stepping. Hitsugaya was busy with paperwork; he didn't even spare a glance. "I wasn't aware that you were a shy person, Kuchiki."

She gritted her teeth, "You little—

She covered her mouth, "I mean, no Hitusgaya-taichou."

It was then that he looked up from his work. She spotted a glint in his eyes. Possibly, it could have told her that he wasn't angry, but it only succeeded in aggravating her own anger.

"What work do you have for me today, Hitsugaya-taichou?" Thank goodness for all the acting experience she gained in the real world.

"There's has been a problem spotted in the real world. Guesses have been made to its source, which, unfortunately like most of our problem, is Karakura Town." He paused, as if to allow the information to sink into Kuchiki. "There has been an increase in Hollows lately. We don't know if it means anything or not, but we would like to verify."

Rukia nodded, feeling her insides squirm at the idea of having a bunch of hollows manifest in one area. She didn't like it. It reminded her of Aizen.

"Kuchiki, are you listening?"

She nodded, weakly.

"Then you agree to this?"

"Yes, I do." It was also a good opportunity to visit Ichigo and the gang; she hadn't seen them for a while.

"Good, you'll leave immediately."

She was dumbfounded. How could he, just from yesterday, find something like this already? "Y-Yes," she managed to stutter out. In a way, this was a disappointment. She found herself curious about the captain after his words yesterday. Was he sending her away, as a way to hide himself?

He stopped writing and looked up, "Is there anything more, Kuchiki?"

She shook her head, "No, sir. I will be leaving now then."

The writing commenced and Rukia was forced to leave. She made it a goal to ask more about him when she got back, if the problem was not severe. She shivered. Aizen. That was a name that had not popped up in a while.

* * *

"So I'll be leaving, nii-sama," she said.

Her brother nodded.

She sighed, inwardly of course. Her brother would get irritated and most likely lecture her on etiquette if she did it out loud. "Do not linger in the real world more than needed." There was something between the lines that was clear to both of them. She was not to stay too long, especially with Ichigo in that town.

She nodded wearily at this as well. "Then, good-bye."

She stepped through the doors and instantly, she was transferred through to the other side—the real world. There was no dark tunnel nor was there any running involved. It was only Urahara who would ever think of doing such an idiotic task. She held a hand to her forehead.

First things first would be to visit Ichigo. It looked as if it was currently afternoon now. He should have gone home, and if he didn't, she could always make herself present to the Kurosaki family.

But then her phone rang and she knew something had happened.

A signal. Hollow.

She began the race, running through the streets and across buildings. The signal was weak, but apparent. When she reached her destination, she found that it was near the park. The Hollow was particularly disgusting, one where she would rather not describe the details. Pulling out her katana, she dashed out towards the monster. Moments before her sword made contact with flesh, the Hollow disappeared, its image dispersing in the air.

"R-Rukia?" The voice was familiar.

"Ichigo," she said back, trying her best to muster her bossy tone. "Glad to see you're not getting lazy." He still retained his annoyingly bright orange hair. His eyes remained the same warm brown color that had been with concern multiple times because of her. He looked the same; it was as if she'd never left in the first place. But, at the same time, she finally realized how much she missed him.

"B-B-B-But, what are you doing here?" He developed a temporary stutter; the shock lay apparent in his warm familiar eyes. He pointed a finger towards her.

She returned her zanpakutou to her belt, "Captain's orders."

"To kill a single Hollow?" asked Ichigo, somewhat laughing, "I didn't know you were being demoted _that much._"

"Idiot," she fought back the desire to hit him. It would have been funny and entertaining, but she resisted, as it would be better to explain. "A problem has been spotted in Karakura. I've been sent to investigate."

His face grew serious, "A problem? Is it him? Aizen?" There was a sense of fear underlying his tone that Rukia instantly recognized as concern for his friends and family.

"We don't know. Sources have just—

"indicated that there has been an outburst of Hollows around here."

Both Ichigo and Rukia turned to the source of the voice. There, standing on the telephone pole, was Hitsugaya Toshiro. Though there was a slight frown on his face, he was here as well, despite the fact that Rukia had believed he wouldn't be. Rukia wondered if anything happened during the short time it took her to come here. She searched his face for an answer, but found none.

"Taichou…"

"Toshiro."

Hitsugaya jumped down. "It's Hitsugaya-taichou, Kurosaki." He didn't look at Rukia, but at the shinigami she was with.

"What's going on?" asked Ichigo, "Why are both of you here?"

"As I stated before, we are here to investigate a problem concerning with the amount of Hollows that have appeared in this town. Whether it is serious or not depends upon this investigation, which I have just joined."

"Just joined?" asked Rukia.

"Yes," said Hitsugaya, but he did not elaborate any further. "Come with me, Kuchiki." He turned to leave, but stopped, "You, too, Kurosaki."

* * *

**AN:** There you have it. Hitsugaya has joined Rukia in the real world...*grins*. All three of them are together. Chaos ensues!


End file.
